The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that everyone ages six months and older receive a newly formulated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccination to protect against the most severe health outcomes this fall and winter.

The shot can be combined in the same visit as a flu shot and regardless of whether you have been previously vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. New COVID-19 vaccines will be available from Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer later this year.

Data continue to show the importance of vaccination to protect against death, hospitalization, and long COVID, especially for vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, rural residents, minority communities, and unvaccinated individuals. In 2023, more than 75,500 people died from COVID-19, and 916,300 people were hospitalized.

NASW continues to lead a "Connect to End COVID-19" vaccine hesitancy campaign with the support of its chapters to counter misinformation, disinformation, and confusion and to guide clients toward evidence-based vaccine decision-making.